Zebra Grass: 6 Tips for Growing Zebra Grass

The zebra grass plant (also known by its botanical name Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus’) is a perennial grass known for its green foliage with horizontal bands of yellow along its leaf blades. The cultivar is also known as Japanese silver grass, due to the showy, silvery white flowers it produces.

Zebra grass has a propensity toward clumping together in large hedges. Combined with its ability to reach a mature height of seven feet tall, it can make quite an imposing addition to your yard. Still, whether you’re landscaping a cottage garden or require a low-maintenance, solitary specimen plant to place indoors, you can modify the growth rate of this Japanese forest grass to meet your needs.

Belonging to the Poaceae (or grass) family, zebra grass is closely related to many other diverse types of grasses, including the genus Pennisetum, also known as fountain grass; and the fuzzy effervescence of muhly grass and pampas grass; and even the solid, geometric uprightness of bamboo.

What sets it apart from even its closest relatives—like the common eulalia—isn’t its towering height, propensity to flower, or utility as a deer-resistant and drought-tolerant addition to your garden. It’s the strikingly variegated pattern of its overall green leaves alternating with its yellowing stripes.

Zebra grass can be simple to care for and can add an impressive new dimension to your landscaping. Here are five core tips to help it grow:

1. 1. Consider the climate. In order to assess whether zebra grass will flourish in your yard, it’s important to determine whether the climate you live in can facilitate their growth. If you routinely experience temperatures of seventy to ninety degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year and the summer especially, zebra grass is likely to grow fine in your garden. Similarly, if you consult the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map and see that you live in zones five through nine, they’re hardy enough to survive a winter in your area.
2. 2. Choose the right variety. Keep in mind this maiden grass comes in different plant types for different people’s needs. The main version of zebra grass is likely fine if you’re planning on a new growth for your garden as tall as it is wide. But if you’re thinking of keeping zebra grass indoors, you should consider its smaller relative, Miscanthus sinensis 'Little Zebra,’ which is half the size of the alternative.
3. 3. Plant at the right time. The bloom time of zebra grass is in late summer. While it can still thrive the next year if you plant it in early fall rather than early spring, it’s best to plant it earlier during spring so the growing season of its first year. Its rhizomes (the underground stems forming the foundation of its root system) will endure its first dormant season in the chill or frost only to sprout fresh leaf blades the next year. In the meantime, the dormant remains of the plants can still generate some late winter interest as their flowers and height remain long after the leaves themselves lose their color.
4. 4. Provide optimal light. When you plant zebra grass, make sure it’s in an area with plenty of light, possibly even full sun. While partial shade is all right, too much of it can lead to zebra grass not growing as tall as it would otherwise. Luckily, since the height of its growing season is in mid-summer, it’s fairly easy to ensure the plant gets plenty of sunlight.
5. 5. Nurture the right soil conditions. The seed heads from zebra grass do best in moist soil. If the ground is too wet or too dry, the poor soil type can stunt the growth of the grass or worse. So long as you can obtain a neutral soil pH, you’ll be well on your way to helping these plants thrive. Consider adding some mulch to your soil to help things along even further.
6. 6. Prune when necessary. Since zebra grass can get so tall and wide, it’s likely you’ll need to take your pruning shears to the plant eventually. Prior to winter and the plants’ ensuing dormancy, you can cut them down as low to the ground as you please. In the meantime, feel free to trim them whenever they become too unwieldy for you.

Grow your own garden with Ron Finley, the self-described "Gangster Gardener." Get the MasterClass Annual Membership and learn how to cultivate fresh herbs and vegetables, keep your house plants alive, and use compost to make your community—and the world—a better place.